Legacies
by LadyWillowJean
Summary: Between spending their whole lives competing with each other, twins Desmond and Raelia Shepard have beaten the odds left and right, death included. But can they also beat the utter destruction of everything they know and love from an impossible foe? (Beginning from Mass Effect 2, with ME1 told in flashbacks, Femshep x Garrus. Unsure of Maleshep yet.)
1. Preview

Your life doesn't exactly flash before your eyes when you stare down death. More like, a recap that you're forced to relive over and over again. Like a dream feeling like it lasts hours when you've only been asleep for a few minutes. Though she had already faced death several times before, nothing would have prepared her for this. The sinking desperate feeling for the things you love the most, the memories that meant the most and watching them slip out of your fingers like sand. There wasn't much time to comprehend what was happening, torn between grasping at those memories, the images of loved ones, and grasping the ripped hose that was supposed to be feeding her air.

'My name is Commander Shepard, the first human spectre, and this is how I died.'


	2. Chapter 1

**Didn't think I'd leave you guys hanging with that little preview right? Well here's my rewrite of my old Mass effect fanfic, I hope you all will be patient with it and enjoy! I still own nothing!**

"Shepard wake up!"

'My name is Commander Raelia Shepard, and I'm supposed to be dead.'

Casting her gaze out the window of the shuttle, she felt a bit disoriented staring out into space, her last memories being fuzzy at best, the glimmer of stars and explosions filling her eyes. Her body was sore and she felt like a long nap would do her good. But she could not rest now, not with two cerberus operatives sitting across from her, both with borderline impassive gazes.

"Before we meet with the Illusive man, we need to ask a few questions to evaluate your condition."

Raelia arched a brow at Miranda, and was about to oblige before Jacob spoke up.

"Come on Miranda, more tests? Shepard took down those mechs without any trouble. That has to be enough."

"It's been two years since the attack-" Miranda, dark eyes blinking in surprise at her own outburst, hesitated to continue when she saw the legendary Shepard lock up.

"Wait, Two years? Did you say two years? Ive been gone that long?" Raelia's brows furrowed and eyes widening, looking between the two of them in shock. Jacob nodded, crossing his arms across his chest and looking unbothered by her surprise.

"Two years and twelve days, and you were on an operating table for most of it. When I first saw you, you were nothing but meat and tub-"

Miranda elbowed him hard, her cheeks sucked in as she glared at him with immense fury. She took a small breath and redirected her gaze to Shepard, her face once more controlled. "The sooner we start, the sooner we can be done. Best to start with personal history."

Raelia threw up her hands "Wait! For fucks sake wait, I've been what- actually dead for two years?" She steeled her eyes on Miranda, expecting a straight answer finally. The notes and memos she had found in the cerberus facility while fighting for her life weren't much to go off of. She needed to know what was happening.

Miranda sighed. "Yes, two years. Cerberus got a tip where to find your body. The damage from falling from orbit… The fundings… The whole process was incredible. You have a few upgrades to your biotics and a few other implants to improve your healing. Your helmet protected your brain during impact. I don't think any of this would have been possible otherwise. I can send you the reports and files on Lazarus project after our meeting if you so wish."

Raelia leaned back and blinked. The images that haunted her of Miranda's face and an operating room finally making sense. "Oh… Kay…" She said softly, shaking her head. "Go ahead with the questions then… Thank you." She took a few deep breaths while Mirana showed Jacob something on her Omni tool.

"Okay, Military family, raised mostly on earth. Your mother?" Jacob looked at her questioningly, and Raelia answered immediately. "Captain Hannah Shepard."

"As of right now your mother is still active with the Alliance. Recently turned down a position for admiral. As is your twin brother….?"

"Commander Desmond Shepard."

Jacob nodded again. "Currently active. Classified missions however. Your father retired a few weeks after your… Death…" He coughed a bit then continued on "Next big thing, the thresher maw attack. Wiped out the rest of your team, remember that?"

Raelia fought the tide of memory that threatened to sweep her away, every time she heard a thresher maw since left her feeling nauseous. "I lost a lot of friends that day, Going through something like that changes you, It can break you, if you let it."

"Fifty marines lost on Akuze. You were the only one who lived. I'm sorry." Jacob glared at Miranda "Satisfied Miranda?"

"Almost. Let's try more recent memories." Miranda scanned her omni tool quickly. "Back on Virmire, you had to leave one of your squad behind, your call. Why?"

Varia felt the blood rush out of her face, swallowing hard as the memory slammed into her, unlike the thresher maw, this one was more recently ingrained into her, as fresh and painful as the day itself.

_"We can't hold them off!" Kaidan growled into the com._

_"Go protect the bomb Commander!" Ashley snapped back in response, a hint of panic in her voice._

_Raelia felt a ripple of physical pain down her back. Staring at the horizon of Virmire, she let the decisions sink in. Turning around she sucked in a deep breath as she met the familiar eyes of her brother, Desmond, she silently pleaded to whatever deity was listening that he help her, give her a sign, something. There was no way she could choose, two of her closest friends. Kaidan, their childhood friend, Desmond's best friend, her date on several occasions. Ashley, her friend, her backup… And Desmond's…._

_He refused to look at her, his own eyes on the Horizon. There was no need for him to say anything, she knew he was torn with this decision as well. Finally he sighed and met her eyes, the pain evident there._

_"If that bomb doesn't go off…" He whispered, shaking his head and turning away. Garrus Vakarian, her friend and best flank, gently put a hand on his shoulder as he passed, offering him a sympathetic look._

_Raelia looked away quickly before slamming a fist down on the railing, feeling a burning hot tear slip down her cheek she pressed the com._

_"We're falling back to the bombsite." She snapped out, turning quickly and following after Desmond._

"I left a friend to die there that day, and I didn't do it easily." Raelia swallowed thickly, blinking back the heat in her eyes as she did so. The memory faded as quickly as it came, a film covering her mind to block the pain of the day she lost Ashley. "Ash gave her life for the team, even the ones she didn't like. Without her I couldn't have stopped Saren." Raelia blinked. "She died a hero."

"As for the aftermath of the attack on the citadel, you were asked for suggestions on a human Councilor." Miranda continued, unfazed by Raelia's discomfort.

"I put Captain Anderson's name forward." Raelia answered, a throbbing in her head beginning to form.

"Yes, we really should run some more tests… But I suppose the Illusive man will have to accept our little field test as evidence." Miranda and Jacob both relaxed into their seats and Raelia mirrored them, her eyes going to the shuttle window once more.

She was grateful for the almost silence that followed, Jacob and Miranda muttering between themselves about protocol and other things that seemed to have no relation to herself. She needed to think, to comprehend. Something she was sure she would not have time to do later.

...

For the record, she was correct again. She was dirty and bloodied once more just a few hours after meeting with the Illusive man for the first time. She ached all over and her head was in massive pain. The contemplation of her new situation not helping anything really.

Despite having a pretty straight forward objective, Raelia struggled to see how she could do it without her team. Her brother and Kaidan on classified Alliance missions, Garrus missing, Tali… Well she could not blame Tali for not accompanying her in the first place. And Liara working for the shadow broker? Two years could really turn the universe on it's heels.

The hole in her heart where her team belonged gave an awful pang. They had all been through a lot together. In a single blink another memory swept over her like a tide.

"Shepard! Raelia!" Kaidan called again, grabbing her upper arm forcefully and making her stop to look at him. She pinned him with a fierce glare.

"Get everyone to the evac shuttles. I have to finish this distress signal and get joker!"

"Desmond will kill me if I left you here-"

"I am the commander of the Normandy!" She bellowed, taking a hard step towards him and forcing him to step back, visibly stunned. "Get everyone out of here. Go. Now." She growled out, glaring at him until he nodded.

"Commander."

"Just like old times eh commander?" The soft voice from the hall made her stop, looking up in surprise she met the eyes of her favorite pilot in the world.

"Oh my god." She breathed before launching herself at him, he grunted at the contact and she gently curled her arms around him, biting the inside of her cheek as he chuckled.

"Good to see you too!" Joker laughed.

"I can't believe it's you Joker." She pulled away and grabbed one of his hands, his presence driving away the rest of the memory she knew she didn't want to relive.

"Look who's talking Raelia. I saw you get spaced." Joker smiled wryly and allowed her to keep a hold of his hand. Together they made their way out of the hall and towards docking.

"I got really lucky. With strings attached of course. How are you here? What…" She trailed off, not sure how to ask the questions that may have answers shes afraid of.

"It all fell apart without you commander." he squeezed her hand as he limped along. "Everything you stirred up the council wanted gone. Team was broken up, records sealed and I was grounded." Joker's lip curled in distaste. "They took away the one thing that mattered to me. Yeah I joined cerberus."

As they passed another doorway Raelia lowered her voice. "You really trust the Illusive man?"

"I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do." Raelia snorted at that, fighting back a smile. "But they can't be all bad. Saved your life, let me fly… And there's this." He stopped them at an overseeing spot, the hangar area in front of them filled with darkness until one spot light flickered on. Her eyes widened at the sight of white black and gold fresh paint that shimmered under the dim lighting.

"They only told me last night."

The rest of the lights slowly flickered on, and Raelia dropped his hand and slowly raised it to cover her mouth. Goosebumps raised on her legs and arms as she took in the sight of the ship- her ship- raised from the ashes once more even better than before. Her eyes glossed over with tears as she stared.

"Good to be home huh Commander?" Joker said softly, smiling wryly at her reaction.

Blinking away the fire and fear in her eyes she spoke softly. "She's gonna need a name." Raelia sucked in a deep breath and faced joker, who only nodded and offered her his arm again to lead her aboard.


End file.
